As stated, this invention relates to lifting attachments. Heretofore, many types of attachments have been readily available for use upon concrete and steel, but moving equipment manufacturers normally design attachments to specifically fit their own equipment, and therefore, cannot be attached for usage with other brands or accessories.
As is known in the art, lifting attachments have been available in the concrete and steel industries for years. Generally, companies know that when lifting heavy pieces of concrete and steel, they need both a heavy item of moving equipment, and an attachment to grab the concrete and steel with, to achieve its movement. Many types of attachments, like buckets, claws, straps and chains, are well known and readily available in the art.
In addition, many other types of attachments have been developed for use with moving concrete slabs and steel panels. Obviously, these types of panels are so heavy, that humans are not capable of physically lilting such. Thus, the attachments are primarily designed for providing mechanical lifting of such slabs, but they require a preshifting or raising of the panels, so that straps may be placed beneath them, to attain any movement, at all. Such attachments are primarily designed for the lifting side of the equation, and secondly, have a tendency of making the releasing side a long and time consuming task.
An example of the foregoing type of lifting device can be seen in the variety of patents or publications that show the use of straps, clamps, or the like, for making physical engagements with such slabs or panels, to attain their lifting. As stated, the problem with these is that the panel must be raised, in order to get a strap or gripping device thereunder, to achieve their lifting.
The use of a claw type mechanism for lifting the concrete slab, while they may be effective for lifting of either concrete or steel, they do not have universal application. Secondly, the transporting of the heavy concrete or steel is dangerous, and can easily fall from their suspension.
Other earlier disclosures show lifting attachments, that may connect to a back hoe bucket, and while this type of device may also be effective in the lifting of concrete or steel, the transportation and releasing is still a very loose and dangerous operation.
There are a variety of vacuum type lifting devices, that have been available either on the market, or disclosed in prior patents or published applications. For example, the prior published application to Walter, et al, No. U.S. 2010/0219651, shows a singular vacuum lifting device and method of use. While this particular device is helpful for lifting smaller-type concrete pavers, one of the problems with it, is that it is of a single vacuum lifting design, and therefore, if a slab or panel has a crack in it, this type of lifting device usually cannot secure therewith, and is ineffective for attaining lifting of that type of impaired heavy panel.
The patent to Gilbert, Jr., et al, U.S. Pat. No. 8,881,339, shows a robotic type of vacuum device. The patent to Muhs, No. U.S. Pat. No. 8,662,862, shows a pump system with vacuum source, which appears to be more of the usage of a vacuum pump for pumping fluids, in the usage of this system. The patent to Mantyla, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 8,613,817, shows a central vacuum inlet valve assembly, for its installation. The patent to Hjornet, U.S. Pat. No. 8,560,121, shows another form of vacuum gripping apparatus, for use for grabbing irregular and deformable work pieces, for lifting purposes. The patent to Gomez, U.S. Pat. No. 8,858,472, shows a lift suction device and related method. Also, the patent to Bai, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 8,854,813, shows an adjustable air suction device. And, the patent to Summers, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 8,783,634, shows another form of suction device, that may be applied to a target surface.
Other types of suction devices can be seen in the suction pad attachment of U.S. Pat. No. 5,192,070, to Nagai, et al. This device is for use for holding a work component.
The patent to Williamann, U.S. Pat. No. 3,743,340, shows an early vacuum lifting device, that incorporates a bellows means, for use for lifting purposes. And, the patent to Schick, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 6,502,877, shows a further gripper system, in particular vacuum gripper system, that incorporates two mutually independent gripper elements, for use for holding to a work surface.
The published application to Schmidt, et al, No. U.S. 2009/0206619, shows another suction gripper device.
The patent to Patterson, U.S. Pat. No. 4,091,945, shows a tile setting apparatus that may be used for securing with a plurality of tiles as they are being applied to a floor or other surface.
The patent to Glanemann, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,970,341, shows a further vacuum lifting unit including a suction cup.
The early patent to Hitchcock, U.S. Pat. No. 1,294,103, shows a further early vacuum lifting device.
The patent to Wong, No. U.S. Pat. No. 2,916,059, shows a further evacuation valve cup.
Finally, the patent to Hufken, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 6,213,528, shows the formation of a vacuum cup.
These are examples of the type of lifting attachments for use in a variety of fields, and which perhaps could also be used for lifting concrete and steel products. Most of them are custom made for their own specific machines, and are not of universal design, and none of them were ever designed for a quick release, as is the design for the current invention.